And the Snakes Start to Sing
by A Clown and his Pipe
Summary: Excerpt: At a young age Timothy Jackson Drake knew his parents didn't love him, they didn't even try. One day they decided to give him to his uncle, Slade Wilson, assassin. Slade didn't care for kids, but Tim was an exception being family. And since Tim was Slade's responsibility he trained him in many forms of combat. Warning: Character death and eventual slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing(s): Slight JayTim  
Verse: AU Young Justice, Cassowary.  
Disclaimer: If I owned DC there would be a lot more villain centric comics and billions of LGBT characters.**  
**This takes place a year before (Literally) Invasion.**

**Prelude**

At a young age Timothy Jackson Drake knew his parents didn't love him, they didn't even try. One day they decided to give him to his uncle, Slade Wilson, assassin. Slade didn't care for kids, but Tim was an exception being family. And since Tim was Slade's responsibility he trained him in many forms of combat. No guns. Tim would never use a gun, he may use swords but he never liked guns. Slade never got him to move past the no guns, so, he trained him with a bo staff.

A while after Tim's ninth birthday he grew an obsession for Batman and Robin and snuck out every so often to see them in action. After a while Tim decided he wanted to be like them. He told Slade, who was not particularly fond of the idea, and gained approval. In a months time Tim had a black and blue costume, almost resembling Robin's. The gloves of the costume hid talons and he had a pocket with a bo staff for safety measures. His codename was set, Cassowary.

At thirteen Slade was never really around to take care of Tim. Slade doesn't even know Tim had been invited to join a team of teenaged heroes, he accepted. Not long after joining the team his parents died. Nobody told him, he had to read it in an article online, but he really didn't care, they weren't real parents but it still bothered him.

**Tim's Pov**  
"Hey Cassowary, what're reading?" Robin asked when he took the seat next to me.  
"Black and White," I said not once looking up. It's a book about two female vigilantes who are turned against each other, and it's pretty good.  
"Sounds interesting," Jason replied and I nodded my head. We sat there without speaking another word and every once in a while I noticed him pass me glances. I closed my book my book and slightly turned Jason's way to see him looking at me.  
"What is it?" I asked, you just can't stare at someone like that, it's creepy.  
"U-uh, nothing," apparently Jason discovered he was staring at me because a blush appeared on his face.  
"Okay then," I looked away from Jason and stood up accidentally bumping into Nightwing's chest. I backed away and slightly rubbed my head. "Sorry, I didn't see you there Nightwing."  
"It's okay and we kind of need to talk," I looked up at Nightwing showing my confusing, "In private." Oh. Nightwing was the only who knew who I was even if I knew both his and Robin's identities. "C'mon," Nightwing bobbed his head signalling to follow, we were heading to his room.

"I'm sorry about their death..." Dick said, "and that no one was around to support you."  
"It's fine, it's been two weeks and I never took it bad. I've been completely fine the whole time," well that's what i tricked my self into believing.  
"But somethings still bothering you, I can tell," I looked down at my hands. I was never entirely sure what was bothering me, it couldn't be their death. "Tim?" I was staring at my hands blankly and a pain blanketed me when I finally realized...  
"They never once told me they loved me..." Tears streaked down my cheeks almost instantly. Dick pulled me into a hug.  
"You have family here that love you and will never abandon you no matter what," his words comfort me, and they're true. The team is my new family. I pulled away after a bit and wiped my eyes dry. I looked up at Dick and smiled, he smiled back. "Do want to go to Gotham and get ice cream with me and Jason, to blow all this over?"  
"Sure," it's a lot more appealing than returning to an empty house.

We ended up at an ice cream place called Lets Spoon, which is a pretty horrible name. Jason got chocolate, Dick couldn't decide between cherry or strawberry so he combined both and I got blueberry. I didn't finish mine so Jason did so for me. "You should stay at the manor tonight," Dick suggested.  
"Only if he tells me his name," Jason demanded.  
"It's Tim Drake," I could trust Jason and he looked at me as if he couldn't believe my name, "and I'll take you up on that offer."

After wasting time hanging in the manor Jason, Dick and I went to sleep at two a.m. I wasn't deep in sleep so I heard Jason get up and presumably walk to the Batcave. I silently followed him and for someone being trained by the Batman he wasn't good at sensory. When we reached a grandfather clock he set it to 10:57 and it lifted up revealing a staircase. Jason scoped behind him and proceeded to the cave. I quickly lunged to the stairs before the clock went back down.

The Batcave was giant compared to what I had in mind, it even had a giant penny. There's computers everywhere and an area for medical attention. Jason went for what seems like the main computer. He had a few documents on him and was clearly pointing a specific location. He kept on browsing countries in Africa but stopped on Ethiopia. Jason quickly stood up and ran to the Batjet.

I wasn't quite sure if i should have stopped Jason from leaving, but Ethiopia seemed important. I didn't touch the computer in fear that Batman would come in any moment, which he did. "How did you get in the Batcave." Batman's tone made it a command not a question.  
"Uh, Jason technically. I followed him down here," I tried to keep completely still and calm, only one shiver escaped. Batman gave me a glare that said he wanted to know more, "I assume he headed to Ethiopia, he took the jet." It may have been my eyes but I swear Batman's eyes grew wider, as if he were afraid. Batman turned quickly and jumped in the Batmobile and left quickly, leaving me there.

**2 weeks later**  
I'm not exactly sure how I feel. Dick took leave from the team to take care of Bruce and hasn't spoke to me in a while. It was up to me to place a memorial of Robin in the grotto. It went without notice for a while until Miss martian noticed it. She didn't make it public to the team and never brought it up around me. Eventually they'll all notice.

When Dick returned everyone on the team was happy, they even ignored the fact that Jason wasn't with him. After the team finished celebrating his return I gained my chance to aproach him, "Hows Bats?"  
"He's fine now, but he's always going to beat himself up about it," Dick actually seemed fine, I guess two weeks was enough.  
"I made a memorial," Dick looked at me with a little confusement, "it's in the grotto, we can go see it."  
"Sure."

"Did you know he liked you?" Dick asked, we were standing in front of Jason's memorial, "I don't mean as a friend."  
"Oh.." I looked down at my shoes. I wouldn't have guessed even if he sometimes acted stupid around me and to be honest I hate myself for just now finding it out, "That... That explains a lot." I looked up at the holographic image of Jason in his Robin suit. I believe I could have grown to like him the same way. "I think I'm going to go train." I lied, technically.  
"Okay, I doubt anyone will disturb you," of course he saw right through it. I turned and walked out the grotto and passed Miss M who was listening.

When I entered my room I called Slade, I told him I was coming home. It turned out he didn't even read the note I left him when I left. I told him about joining the team and he wasn't exactly happy and wanted me back home. I scribbled a quick note to Nightwing telling him I went back home to get my mind straightened. Thats what I needed, knowing the first person who may have cared more about me than anyone is dead isn't pleasent to think about.

**Author's Note**  
**This came from an idea I wrote down but instead Tim had a twin, the writing style is basic RP because I was lazy. So anyways, comment what I should do next (time skip to December) and any pairings you'd like to see, but none for Tim . And I'll have a parody of YJ that's Arsenal centric (It's crappy and lazy).**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Seriously if I owned DC Poison Ivy would have a comic.**

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**December 21st, 2015**  
I was finally returning to the team after (almost) eleven months. A few members left and new ones joined. I was just now zeta'ing to Mount Justice. I really don't know who to expect except for Dick. The computer read out B20 when I arrived. I looked around to see one new face, a dark skinned boy. "Cassowary, welcome back," I looked over to the voice to see Dick smiling at me. I was glad to be back home. I motioned my head towards the boy I saw, "Oh, that's Jaime, the new Blue Beetle." I had heard news of Ted Kord's death, but I didn't know he had a protege , that was probably a question for later.  
"I'm gonna go visit the grotto for a bit, can we catch up later?" I asked Dick.  
"Sure, and maybe we can spar," I nodded my head in response and headed to my old room to put my belongings up. I brought everything I needed, except maybe a picture of the old team with Jason, but I think I need that. After I unpacked everything I headed to the grotto to see two more holographs added, Ted and Tula. I didn't really know them but I still paid my respects. I walked over to Jason's effigy and stood in front of it. I'm not sure why I felt the need to visit it. I could have stopped him that night, but instead I hid in the shadows and didn't question a thing. I'm such an idiot. Slade told me not to live in the past but here I am doing so. Maybe sparring with Dick will clear my mind.

"You've gotten better, last time we sparred you lost," said Dick giving me a smile. And last time I didn't lose, Jason yelling at Wally for eating all of M'gann's cookies distracted me _slightly_ and Dick got the upper hand on me. And this time I didn't get distracted, me and Dick were an even match. "Who trained you anyways?" Oh, so there were things he didn't know about me.  
"I can trust you right?" Rule #1 of telling your teammate that you were trained by a mercenary that has tried to kill him a couple of times.  
"Of course, it'll stay between us."  
"When I was five my parents gave me to my uncle, he didn't officially adopt me so it's not on file. And well to get to the point my uncle is a well..." I stopped a moment and looked around to make sure no one had come in,"He's Slade Wilson, you know Deathstroke." I saw Dick's eyes go wide behind his sunglasses. Maybe I should've just said mercenary, that would've been easier.  
"So, your parents just left you with your uncle, who's Deathstroke?" Dick was pinching his nose.  
"Well, I don't think they knew who he was... But with them even if they did I'd probably still end up with him," Nice one Tim now I'm probably going to have to explain this. Before Dick could ask anything else the alarm for a mission went off.  
"We can talk later?" Dick asked and I nodded. He headed for the computer to receive the mission and waited for everyone to arrive. My first day back and we already have a mission, great.

The mission was supposed to be easy, well by Gotham's standards really. The plan was simple; contain Ivy and keep from destroying a plant that tested new chemicals on plants, which really should be stopped anyways. But the team wasn't use to a villain like Ivy. Everyone but me, Nightwing and Batgirl were knocked out. Leave it to the Gotham heroes I guess. Nightwing threw gas pellets and Ivy to give me and Batgirl a shot, and we took it. When Ivy was out Batgirl cuffed her and Nightwing notified the police while the rest of the team gained conscious. We honestly didn't need the team. "Batgirl can you take care of Ivy until the police arrive, I'm going to see if Batmans around," Nightwing said.  
"Sure, and it is unusual that he didn't handle Ivy already," Batgirl replied. I'm guessing I won't have to continue that chat with Nightwing so I just blew it off when he left. The team was heading back to Mount Justice so I followed them to the zeta. I never really talked to any of them so no one noticed I was there.

I couldn't sleep, either was the bed or just being back on the team. Most likely being back. I became used to training with Slade and Rose and going on solo missions. I didn't have to talk to anyone, but being on the team means I'll have to open up a little more again. I used to be best friends with Cassie and Kon, but they're always with each other now. I guess maybe they're dating. Then there's Gar, he was by M'gann's side the whole time so I didn't try talking to him. I turned on my side and tried to sleep but failed, so I just laid awake in thought.

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**Review! Also tell me if there's any pairings you'd like to see, but none for Tim, I have one planned.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I feel like I should mention that short ones like this are fillers because there's going to be some characters that weren't in Young Justice.**

**Disclaimer: One day..**

**December 27th  
** The holiday was strangely calm, either the villains this time around decided to celebrate or they were already in prison, I'm going with already in prison. Now most of the team is already back, we're only missing Dick and Jaime. It's actually kind of unusual. Dick is our leader and Jaime, Jaime is just kind of always here. But it's not like much was happening anyways, the team was just doing agonizing team stuff. M'gann and La'Gaan sucking face, Kon was doing the _I'm sitting around because I hate everyone_ thing, Mal and Karen arguing like usual, and i think Cassie and Gar are either watching a movie or playing a game. I think I might just be the most boring by observing. Then the computer read _B01_ out and Nightwing entered. "Nightwing, how was Gotham?" I asked.  
"Pleasant..." Dick trailed off as if there was more to that, which there probably was.  
"Anything eventful?" I asked curiously, I kind of want to know. In the same sense I don't. Dick pinched the bridge of his nose indicating that it wasn't the greatest_._  
"I saw a dead person that wasn't so dead," Dick said directly looking at me. There could be a numerous amount of "zombies" he could run into while in Gotham but there was a certain look he gave. _Oh_. I looked down at my feet, who out of all people would revive him. I mean there's Ra's but he's one of Batman's enemies.  
"So, is he going back to Robin?" I asked. It was logical, wouldn't he want his life back?  
"No, he took the alias of Red Hood," Dick trailed off again. He scratched his neck and continued,"If you run into him somehow don't talk to him."  
"Why?" I had every right to talk to him, he was my friend.  
"He's not the same," Dick said that as if it was bad, really bad. People change, sometimes for the worst but not that bad. Right? "He kills people now, not necessarily innocents but murderers and people on that line."  
"It's not like he'll kill me then," I've never killed anyone, but I have broken the law a few times due to my training, and being a vigilante used to break the law.  
"He might still hurt you," Dick said. I tried to avoid eye contact, but failed because I just couldn't stare at his cheek. "He was going to kill Bruce and the Joker. Bruce for not avenging him and the Joker for killing him." I looked down and bit my lip. I don't know what to say, that's pretty far to go for revenge. Jason was no longer Robin and never will be again, I'm pretty sure what hes done explains that. Dick gave me a pat on the shoulder and walked away. I'm starting to think next year is going to be longer than last year.


End file.
